Rosenwaeric

Rosenwaeric is a strongly fortified, fiercely independent principality on the Jadess Coast. It is noted for its fleet of trading/raiding/invading vessels. It is ruled by the House of Rosenberg, a royal line which claims its decent from the last Horizon Governer of the city, whom refused to board his boat, and fell defending the city.

Rosenwaeric sits at a strategic position at the mouth of Ramalya Bay. Ramalya Bay is a large, narrow bay that is surrounded on three-sides by land and which drains many major waterways (like the Cheseapeake). It is famous for the massive chain that can be raised and lowered across the bay to prevent access to the bay.

Rosenwaeric has used its location and position to strongarm its way into regional hegemony; all of the trade networks and cities that depend on passage through the Ramalya Strait brought to their knees. Rosenwaeric has the seapower to keep the sea and river systems clear and collect its tribute, but it does not have enough military might to totally dominate its neighbors. For this reason, Rosenwaeric employs large amounts of mercenaries (but not mercenary companies for fear of a coupe).

Despite it's meteoric rise under its current ruler Prince Helmond Rosenberg, itf faces the constant threat of rebellion from its cients, coupe from its troops, and canal digging by its rivals.

Government: Principality, ruled by Prince Helmond Rosenberg

Military: Mercenary Cadre, Castle Guard

Crest: Chain

Estimated Population of City-State: 100,000

Estimated Population of Dominions and Dependencies: 1,000,000

Rosenwaeric dominates all but a handful of surrounding cities around the Ramalya Bay and the tributaries which feed it. This gives it access to a vast interior network of trade and resources. The hinterlands of it's Ramalyan Dominions are lush rolling pastures for raising livestock and sweeping, well-watered plains for growing grain. This gives Rosenwaeric a distinct advantage against it's rivals, the Rosen League and the Ramalyan League. For it can posture itself as a seapower, with access to the sea lanes which pass the Cape of Ramalya, while protecting its vast interior wealth of resources from it's rivals by controlling the entrance to Ramalya Bay. The Ramalyan League is largely isolated from interior by the shear Ramalyan Range which divides the Ramalyan Cape from Rosenwearic Dominions. This posturing has been thrown in chaos by the recent independence of the Rosenwaeric Dependency, Aramand.

Points of Interest:

a) Portculus: Chain across harbor, as well as military works, castle, protected, and locks

b) The Rock: An ancient fortress built by the Horizon Empire in order to dominate the Ramalya Strait. It has been converted into the Rosenberg Castle, a complex where all of the artizans and stores are kept and carefully monitored to perserve royal monopolies

c) Ramalya's Tomb: The Tomb of the First Prince of Rosenwaeric and founder of the Rosenberg line. Legend has it that he was the last Horizon Governer of Rosenwaric. Instead, he sent a message with the boat asking for aid from the Fire Throne. The city was under seige and he refused the board the last departing ship back to Rosen. He died during the battle, but his son was made Prince.

d) The Watcher's Tower: Horizon's Governors along the Jadess Coast were known as the Watchers, because after the Jadess Coast lost contact with Horizon the city-states formed a league which continued to govern in the name of the Fire Throne for two centuries. The Governors of each state were called Watchers, because they swore to keep vigil ever westward for the return of the the Fire Throne and his armies. The Watcher's Tower was built during this period and was used as variously as a celestial observatory, a political prison, and a guild hall.

e) Pocket: The Pocket is a seedy quarter of Rosenwaeric, lying outside of the city walls. It is an shantytown of squatters that has grown into a city in its own right. It is full of colorfully painted, rickety buildings, colorfully dressed characters. There are many thrills to be hand here, but it is also very dangerous. So dangerous, that the Castle Guard only enters it to put down riots after public spectacles. This is also the district where local students from the military academies go to slum.

f) The Stockhouse: A large club where merchants meet to work out trades, make investments, buy, and offload stock from the ships which are in port. The Stockhouse was originally a tavern by the same name right off the wharfs where captains and merchants would meet to rub elbows and trade cargo. It soon developed into a club where most of the business transacted within the city occured.